... Sydney Bridgeclimb...

I've just had the most amazing, exhilarating experience; The Sydney Bridgeclimb.

When I finished the climb I was absolutely buzzing, my legs felt all floaty and I couldn't stop smiling and jumping around like a kid whilst I was up there. Easily one of the highlights of my trip so far.

I 'ascended 134 metres above sealevel in 252.5 metres horizontal distance, with no barriers, no sense of time, no going back, just onward, just upward, the ferries below the size of matchboxes, the Opera House shrinking away across the harbour. 1,338 stairs, 1½football fields above water, and a breathtaking view of Sydney, surrounding suburbs and all the way to the mountains.' WOOHOO!

I'd randomly headed up to the Bridge after work to try and get myself booked on an excursion in the next few days but by chance they had a spare space on the Twilight Tour that evening and couldn't resist it considering how ideal the conditions were.

Only days previously I got an amazing view of the Bridge when I did the Opera House tour and got to see it in all its glory during the New Year celebrations from the harbour side of the Rocks. And now I got to stare down at both those sights from a very great height from the Bridge. It was incredible.

This excursion has been on my to do list for ages and I'm so glad I did it after I'd been living in Sydney for a while. During my time here I've got to know a lot about the area, the history of the place and about the Bridge. This gave me a chance to really appreciate it and the view, pointing out various landmarks and places of significance to myself. I even got to do a Ta Dah at the top:o)

The Twilight Tour was the trip I wanted to do as it meant you got to see the city in both day and night time and what was incredible about this particular time of the Twilight Tour was we got to see the sunset when we reached the summit. It was astounding watching this huge red orb trail down the sky, changing the colours of the vista, before it slipped behind the mountains in the distance. Wow!

Being able to see the comparison of the city in the day and night was brilliant particularly when the evening lights came on creating these amazing reflections on the water. There really is no other view quite like it.

Our tour guide Kate was great. Really enthusiastic and loads of fun. My group were very nice and I met a lovely couple Gary & Tracy who were brilliant to share the experience with.

Afterwards I joined the instructors at the Glenmore and Ship Inn for a few drinks. It was a wicked way to finish the night (there's no way I would have passed the bridge breathalyser test after the amount of red wine I drunk) and the guides suggested I applied for a position but to be a guide you need to have more than a year's visa. But its definitely left me with a few ideas.

Photo: Me at the summit of the Bridge... TA DAH!!!

[Next blog entry: Sydney Sunday January 13th 2008]